Newsweek Puts DHS Among Top 1,000 High Schools

has made Newsweek's 2012 list of the 1,000 Best High Schools in the nation.

Decatur High was ranked No. 865 and was one of 28 schools in Georgia to make the list.

The highest ranking school in Georgia is Augusta's John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet High School, at No. 60.

Other Georgia schools are Nothview, Walton, Columbus, Savannah Arts Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, Chattahoochee, Riverwood International Charter, South Forsyth, Alpharetta, Pope, Milton, Brookwood, Chamblee Charter, Parkview, North Gwinnett and McIntosh.

Also, Harrison, Starr's Mill, Oconee County, Lassiter, Johns Creek, Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Ridge, North Oconee, Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet, Buford and Sequoyah.

The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Bowling Green, Ky., was No. 1.

Newsweek said the list is based on six components provided by school administrators:

Graduation rate (25 percent), college matriculation rate (25 percent), AP/IB/AICE tests taken per student (25 percent), average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10 percent), and AP courses offered  per student(5 percent).

Newsweek explained the methodology, saying

To compile the 2012 list of the top high schools in America, Newsweek reached out to principals, superintendents and other administrators at public high schools across the country. In order to be considered for our list, a school had to complete a survey requesting specific data from the 2010-2011 academic year. In all, more than 2,300 schools were assessed to produce the final list of the top 1,000 schools.

Do you think Decatur High deserves such a high ranking? Do you trust the methodology? Vote in the poll and express your thoughts in the comments box.